Abstract:In this study, three water-soluble polysaccharides were extracted from three varieties of Moringa oleifera leaves, including Periyakulam 1 (PKM1) leaves, Improved Periyakulam 1 (PKM2) leaves and M. stenopetala leaves. The physicochemical properties and antioxidant activities of these polysaccharides were comparatively investigated. The results showed that PKM1 leaves had the highest polysaccharide yield of 6.84%, followed by PKM2 leaves and M. stenopetala leaves. Three polysaccharides had different content of carbohydrate, protein, glucuronic acid and galacturonic acid. Structural analyses showed that three polysaccharides had different molecular weight distributions, and consisted of galactose, arabinose, fucose, and xylose. Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) spectra indicated that three polysaccharides were acidic furanose polysaccharides with β-configuration and have similar functional groups. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and congo red analyses showed that PKM1 polysaccharide exhibited chain conformation, while PKM2 and M. stenopetala polysaccharides exhibited spherical conformation. In addition, they could form helical conformation in weak alkaline solution. In vitro antioxidant activity assay indicated that three polysaccharides had favorable antioxidant activities, and the polysaccharides from PKM1 and M. stenopetala leaves were higher than PKM2.